AN: Thank you for your continued interest, your reviews never fail to motivate me! :D Btw, you guys have got some awesome pen names! On with chapter 7:
Loki woke slowly. His eyes stared up at the ceiling, while he remembered his situation. He sat up, looking to his left and saw that Eva was asleep. Loki slept well that night, after healing his injuries. The Avengers appeared to be none the wiser that he had regained his magic. He ran a hand through his dark hair, thinking of what to do. He had been very well behaved so far. That might have to change. He noticed Eva stir next to him. She rolled over to look at him, finding Loki's ruffled hair endearing .Was he becoming more unguarded? "Did you sleep alright?" she asked him. She rubbed her eyes sleepily.
"Yes, thank you. Did you?" he asked. Loki noted how she looked very tired.
"Yeah, fine" she told him. She had in fact been worrying about a number of things."Crap! What time is it?" Eva exclaimed, locating her phone to check the time. She let out a heavy sigh "It's okay I've got half an hour"
"Until what?"
"We've got to have a meeting with Fury- well you don't. Ugh, if Stark shows him those pictures..."
"He won't be able to"
"...W-what have you done to Stark?!" she questioned, her sleep riddled brain jumping to conclusions.
"I have not touched him! I erased the images from the device he used"
"You did?"
"Here's the proof" he said, producing the camera and passing it to her. She quickly pulled up the images stored on it to find no trace of the blackmail photos. Relief swept over Eva. "Thank you" she told him sincerely. "I owed you a debt, did I not?" he asked rhetorically.
"Hmm, I bet Stark made copies" she sighed.
"And I bet he did not account for me knowing of your technology" he told her smugly.
"Are you trying to say you hacked into his system?!"
"I am trying to say your secret is safe. What does it matter how I made it so?"
"Uh-huh" she frowned, before hurrying off into the bathroom. Loki thought back to her conclusion that he'd harmed Stark in some way. It annoyed him more than it should. Of course she'd assume the worst from him. Was that not his initial objective? To prove to everyone what he was capable of?
Eva stood in the bathroom, bewildered, for two reasons. One, Loki had gone out of his way to help her. And two, he had somehow gotten rid of the photos. Surely Loki was no computer hacker. He wasn't even from this planet! But how...Did he use magic? That was supposed to have been taken away from him. She had definitely seen him wearing the cuffs this morning. Eva wouldn't be able to ask him about it, nor would he tell her. If nothing bad happened today, perhaps she'd let it slide. How terrible it must be to be separated from your power-your identity, she mused.
After washing and changing Eva left the bathroom. Stepping back into the bedroom, she saw Loki in the same position as before. His emotions seemed to be in check, so she didn't feel the need to question his wellbeing. "I'll see you when I get back. That is if I haven't been fired" she smirked. A small part of her wanted Fury to know, just so she could annoy him. Unfortunately, she didn't seem to have Stark's knack for getting away with everything. Her powers did help her with persuasion, but that was a subtle art. "Farewell" he told her. When she left, he sent the camera away to where he found it.
xxxx
"Ready to go?" Steve asked Eva, as she walked into the main living space. He was stood with Stark by the door.
"Yep and remember; nobody mention you-know-what, about you-know-who" she said vaguely.
"Yeah, yeah" Stark said waving his hand. "Y'know if we leave in half an hour, we can be fashionably late"
"If we leave now we can get there when we're supposed to" Steve said annoyed. Punctuality was important to him. Stark rolled his eyes. "Lead the way, Captain!" he said with mock enthusiasm.
"Good luck!" Clint called after them, glad he didn't have to go this time. The three of them departed, leaving Natasha, Clint and Bruce with Loki. Needless to say they were his least favourite people.
xxxx
Eva fidgeted in her chair. Tony and Steve joined her in the conference room, sat along the curve of the large oval table. She adjusted her clothing, hair and position again. Her tension was affecting her two co-workers. "I knew we should have gotten here late. I hate waiting around" Stark grumbled.
"Did no one ever teach you to be patient?" Steve countered.
"You'd know all about that, wouldn't you Capsicle? Besides, patience is for boring people"
"'Boring' people get the job done"
"And I don't?"
"When you feel like it"
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"You'd do it if it benefitted you"
"Not true. Need I remind you I nearly died saving everyone?"
"Of course I don't need reminding, because you haven't stopped talking about it"
"Because it's important"
"Because it's about you"
"I fail to see your point"
"Stop bickering" Eva sighed "I'm sorry: it's my fault. I just don't want to face Fury's wrath" she told them. Before either Avenger could comment, Fury entered the room, flanked by Agent Hill. He eased into the chair opposite them. Fury launched straight into the issue at hand "Now as you know Thor is yet to show up, which means we need to come up with a long-term plan for Loki"
"Sir?" Eva asked.
"If Thor, doesn't turn up within this week then were moving him to a containment facility"
"With all due respect, sir, I don't think that's what's best for Loki" Eva told him.
"That's not your call, Agent Scott"
"Whose call was it?" Tony asked.
"Mine" Hill spoke up.
"Yours?" Tony said, eyebrows raised.
"Loki is a threat to national security. As sure as I am you're doing your job, Loki needs to be under higher watch" Hill responded.
"What Loki needs is to recover. Have you forgotten what he's been through?" Eva asked.
"Have you forgotten what he did?" Agent Hill retorted.
"I'm well aware of what he did, but-"
"No buts, Scott" Fury cut in "the decision's been made. Now Captain, how is our captive?"
"I would say he's making a steady recovery" Steve said trying to be diplomatic. He didn't want to upset Eva or Fury. Steve could still remember finding Loki that first morning in tower. Eva had helped him a lot since then. "Thank you, Rodgers. Have you found anything out?"
"Only that Loki's not too fond of his restraints" Eva replied.
"Or his babysitters" Stark muttered. Fury smirked, safe in the knowledge that Loki was in some way, unhappy. "That was all. We may have another meeting soon" he promised, leaving the room with Hill. Eva's face contorted slightly with anger. Not only were they about to do the wrong thing with Loki, but they had totally belittled her. "Well, that went well" Tony muttered.
xxxx
Eva, Tony and Steve paused in front of the door that led to the apartment. Muffled voices could be heard from the other side. Tony quickly burst inside, against Steve's better instinct. They soon saw Loki, Clint and Natasha on one side of the room. Around them, the furniture was overturned with various broken objects strewn across the floor. The two assassins had their weapons poised. Between the two groups was Bruce on the ground. His fists clenched and unclenched as he tried to retain his human form. Small areas of his skin were coloured with a faint green. His face was pained, with eyes screwed tightly shut.
Oooh cliffhanger! Ehehe :D Please review! I'll love you forever :D
